Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Tuesday for a two-day visit with President Xi Jinping, a trip aimed at reinforcing Moscow and Beijing’s deepening partnership as both countries face pressure from the West.

The visit comes days after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing, placing China at the center of a rapid round of high-level diplomacy. The Kremlin has said Putin’s trip was planned in advance and tied to the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship.

Putin and Xi are expected to discuss bilateral relations, economic cooperation and major regional and international issues. Energy ties are also expected to be a key focus, including the long-discussed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project, which would carry Russian gas to China through Mongolia.

China has become a critical economic partner for Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Beijing has not joined Western sanctions against Russia and has expanded trade with Moscow, including major purchases of Russian oil and gas.

The visit underscores Russia’s growing reliance on China and Beijing’s effort to balance ties with Moscow while managing its relationship with Washington. Putin and Xi have met more than 40 times and have often framed their countries’ relationship as a strategic counterweight to U.S. influence.